There presently exists a need to be able to identify a variety of objects, things and personnel by means of an expedient which is easy to use, easy to apply and which offers a myriad of choices in information placement, all in a manner which is economically feasible and which results in identification which is virtually tamper-resistant.
The art has proposed various devices for identification purposes, some utilizing flexible bands having envelopes or pockets in which are contained insert cards bearing printed or typewritten indicia with various means of securing the bands to the objects or persons to be identified.
In some of these prior art devices, tamper resistance is essentially lacking where it is necessary to prohibit unauthorized persons from either switching or changing the identification indicia, i.e. by slitting the information envelope or pocket the indicia may be removed and substituted with other indicia in such a manner that such exchange is relatively undetectable. Additionally, some of the identification devices lend themselves to exchange of information or removal of the identification devices themselves and substitution with another identification device by expanding or stretching the identification device so that it may be exchanged or substituted by unauthorized persons.
For example, and as a specific illustrative example, penal and medical institutions are at present utilizing identification bands or bracelets which are not fully tamper-resistant to the extent that some of the prior art devices may be tampered with to exchange or substitute identifying information or permit complete removal of the identification devices by tampering with the band itself, the identifying indicia or the fastening mechanism utilized to secure the identification devices. It is highly undesirable to permit a situation where the identification devices themselves or alternately the information contained thereon or therein may be altered by unauthorized personnel, either for criminal purposes or for other purposes where such devices are utilized in medical or general applications.
For example, taking the instance of penal use of identification devices, incarcerated prisoners at various stages of criminal proceedings are provided with identification devices that are fastened or secured to the wrist of an individual upon criminal booking and which serves as identification means for that particular inmate for subsequent proceedings. That is, the inmate is provided with specific identification which is thereafter utilized in order to accurately identify that individual when that individual is taken from, for example, a holding area of prisoners to appear before a court; identifies that individual through the duration of the criminal proceedings and is also relied upon, with regard to transfer of certain prisoners to other institutions and is even utilized to identify an individual who is to be either released on bond or otherwise set free. It thus becomes encumbent upon officials to be able to obtain accurate identification, especially where large numbers of prisoners are involved, (as is usually the case in large municipalities, where the number of accused prisoners is large) and the number of police officers is also large and subject to transfer and/or rotation to other duties which prevent normal identification by facial or other physical characteristics.
There are other instances where identification is required which identification should not be easily tampered with or removed, wherein the subject matter to be identified are inaminate objects. Such identification devices should be such that once applied to an object for either warehousing, shipping or other purposes, should not be easily removed or tampered with so as to insure that once the identification process has been accomplished that the likelihood of exchange or substitution of information is unlikely.
In many instances of the prior art devices, information was easily exchanged, the devices were such that they could be expanded so as to permit easy removal as, for example, from the wrist, or alternately utilized securement means which could be easily tampered with especially when considering the large amount of time available to, for example, the hospital patient or a penal inmate. With the herein disclosed invention there is provided an identification device for identifying persons and objects which obviate the aforealluded to shortcomings existing in the prior art. A variety of modes of application of indicia is provided, ease of application of that indicia and a device which is easily applied where, by the construction of the device, tampering with the device is substantially reduced if not eliminated. The devices of this invention all but make it impossible to change identification indicia once put in place and makes it substantially impossible for any undetectable tampering with the securement members or devices themselves making up the construction thereof.